GIJON,FETEN,European Theatre Fair for Children:Best Practice Example

GIJON, FETEN, EUROPEAN THEATRE FAIR FOR CHILDREN: BEST PRACTICE EXAMPLE

'''A. Describe the local economy and situation. I.e. the internal and external context.'''

Gijón is a municipality located in the central area of the Asturian coast. With a population around 280.000, It is an economic and cultural centre on a regional level. The city has an important network of business, commercial, educational, sanitary, cultural and leisure equipments and resources. It’s a perfect example of three “C”, Concepts (To generate new ideas and knowledge), Competences (To develop “know-how”, production and consume capacities) and Connections (Access and communication).All of this makes Gijón more competitive and efficient, able to generate synergies to develop its innovative and research potential.

FETEN is the most important Theatre-for-children Fair in Spain, and it is one of the most important Theatre Fairs overall, so stakeholders of this sector are eager to attend it. A Theatre company may obtain contracts for the whole year in FETEN. Moreover, FETEN has raised cultural awareness among the citizenship.

This year was hold the 19th edition. During the 1st one there were 15 theatre companies and almost 50 guests. This year there were 65 companies and 430 guests (6 from Asturias, 53 from Spain and 6 from different parts of Europe)

 Activities:

Dance, Opera, Storytelling, Circus, Magic, Puppets, Shadow theatre, Theatre for families and also Theatre for babies, specially adapted to them.

More than 100 shows are held in different parts of the city, that means that all the population can share the event and participate in it.

 Main features:

Focus on childhood

Focus on babies (0-3 year old) to children under 12

Focus on show a geographical variety of Performing Arts from Asturias to Europe

Focus on an enormous variety of artistic expression

Focus on choose shows depending on the exhibition place (from small stages to big theatres)

Focus on programmers and producers. They can attend a lot of show in a short period of time. They can attend premières and they can see the public reaction to different performances

B. What is the nature of the intervention? We can say that local creative and cultural initiatives are allowing to improve the economic diversification. Gijón, as a city where research and development are a very important part of its economic framework, can also offer a very extensive cultural proposal suitable for everybody.

It’s important to mention synergies created between the cultural offer and the tourism sector.

<p style="text-align:justify">Gijon City Council offers an extensive variety of cultural activities with the objective to facilitate access to the information and culture to the Gijon population

The main FETEN objective is to foster co-operation and exchange of information among the stakeholders from different Theatre-for-children sectors (creation, exhibition,…).

<p style="text-align:justify">In these Fair, producers, programmers and theatre companies from all Europe gather to watch performances, exhibitions and plays. Producers and programmers make contact to the theatre companies in order to show plays and performances in their country of origin. Gijon City Council is the organization involve in the implement of this project.

<p style="text-align:justify">The Festival is organized with Gijon City Council resources in terms of staff, premises and places. Theatre companies have a unique opportunity to show their product to producers and programmers and they sell their products (theatre plays) cheaper here than on a market situation. Some programmers are invited in terms of accommodation and meals.

<p style="text-align:justify">An Advising and Monitoring Committee is the one in charge to choose the final programme. Most of them are performing arts professionals

<p style="text-align:justify">A Communication Team is in charge of FETEN Marketing

C. What is the effect of the intervention?

Main features of Gijón cultural offer: Improve access to information and culture to citizens

<p style="text-align:justify">Reinforce the local economy and its sectors

<p style="text-align:justify">Foster creativity and cultural industries as a part of Gijon City life

<p style="text-align:justify">Generate synergies among business network

65 European Theatre-for-children companies y 430 producers and programmers met in Gijon this year (FETEN took place on February). FETEN is also attractive for cultural tourism. The audience is very large, as tickets for most of the shows and plays are sold out. All this means that FETEN is a meeting point for all theatre for Children stakeholders, all Spanish companies and many European ones struggle for a place in FETEN, organizers have a large experience after 19 editions and it’s very important the Communication Team ability to involve all the citizenship in this creative and cultural event.

D. What advice would you give others?

Language it’s not a problem. For plays and performances that they are not in Spanish, the Selection Committee prioritizes body language, dance and music to select theatre plays.

<p style="text-align:justify">From the beginning, the Project started with a draft, explaining main objectives, long, medium, and short term plans, how to make contacts to exhibitors, programmers and producers, etc. FETEN is the most important European Theatre-for-children Fair held in Spain but it is not the only one. There is another one held in Valencia, It is fostered and supported by FETEN because is enough market niche for both of them.

The comprehensive know-know (Management, Administration, Marketing, etc) is an important transferable element to other places.

<p style="text-align:justify">Actually, FETEN provides technical support and assistance to other Theatre-for-Children Fairs.

This is a consolidated event in Gijon, after 19 editions and we can see that FETEN is an exportable experience to other European cities.

<p style="text-align:justify">All these years of experience and results make FETEN European Theatre Fair for Children a Best Practice example

<p style="text-align:justify">www.gijon.es/Area.aspx?leng=es&id=302&area=103&leng=es